Research Workshops in Gastroenterology are proposed with the hope that they will continue to facilitate the application of basic techniques and new information to research in gastroenterology by promoting interactions among outstanding investigators with skills in the basic sciences and investigative gastroenterologists. Moreover, it is hoped to expose young investigators to outstanding scientists and so to promote discussion of the unresolved problems in gastroenterology. We believe that this will stimulate interest in and reinforce the determination of younger people to pursue careers in academic gastroenterology. The proposed workshops will be organized by the AGA Committee on Research, and funding will be provided in part by the pharmaceutical industry, in part by AGA, and in part by the NIH. As in the past, two workshops are proposed each year, one dealing with a topic in basic research and the other with a subject in clinical research. Workshops will be of 3 days' duration, attendance will be largely by invitation, and will be limited to 60 participants. At least 10-15 positions will be available to young investigators or advanced postdoctoral trainees who should benefit most from the interchange. The American Gastroenterological Association is well aware of the delay that exists in applying basic information to disorders of gastrointestinal structure and function. The research workshop is viewed as a major way in which this gap may be narrowed, by stimulating new ideas and by attracting novel talent into the challenging area of digestive diseases. We believe the initial period of 3 years has established the program successfully, has produced results of which we can all be pleased and justifies continued effort.